DANELECTRO Double Cutaway 1959 Reissue 12-String
- similar to the Double Cutaway 1959 Reissue, except in 12-string configuration with six-per-side tuners, available in Black finish, limited mfg. 2010 only.
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Nathan I. Daniels (1912-1994) was a New York electronics buff who began assembling amplifiers at home in 1934. In the mid-1930s, he was contracted by Epiphone (NYC) to build Electar amps, and successfully created a reputation and finances to start the Danelectro Corporation in 1948. Daniels' new company had offices and a factory in Red Bank, NJ.
By 1953, the first guitar was designed, and it was introduced in 1954. It has been hypothesized/assumed that Daniels had consulted his long time friend John D'Angelico for assistance in the fret spacing and bridge placement. While most people believe the body frame under the masonite is pine, Paul Bechtoldt confirmed that the body is poplar (and his source was Vinnie Bell!). In 1959 or 1960 the company moved to 207 West Sylvania Avenue in Neptune City, NJ, where it remained until its demise in 1968.
All models were assembled in the Neptune City factory, and the majority were sold to Sears, Roebuck under their Silvertone trademark. Many of the popular designs should be considered semi-hollowbodies, for they have a masonite top and back mounted on a pine frame. The renowned Lipstick Tube pickups are exactly that: Danelectro bought the lipstick casings from a manufacturer who serviced the cosmetics industry, and then sent them to another contractor for plating before the pickup was installed inside.
The company grew during the 1960s guitar boom from under 100 employees to a peak of 503. George Wooster, Danelectro's production manager, estimated that the company produced 150 to 200 guitars a day during peak periods.
In late 1967, MCA (the entertainment conglomerate) bought Danelectro. In the same year, they introduced the Coral line. While 85% of Danelectro's output (guitars and amps) was for Sears, the Coral line was Danelectro´s catalog line. The bodies for the Coral series were built in Japan, but the parts and assembly were done in the New Jersey plant. After MCA purchased the company, they began to do business with individual music shops instead of the big distributors - which brought them into competition with Fender and Gibson. Rather than point out the problem with that corporate thinking, let history do the talking: MCA folded Danelectro in 1968.
William C. Herring bought Danelectro's factory from MCA for $20,000 in late 1968 or 1969. Herring met Dan Armstrong (ex-Ampeg) and the pair visited the empty facilities and found numerous partially completed guitars and machinery. Armstrong contracted to build Danelectros for Ampeg, but by then the amplifier company was in financial straits and couldn't pay for them. These models have the single cutaway bodies, and Dan Armstrong modified Danelectro on the pickguard.
In the late 1980s, the rights to the Danelectro name were acquired by Anthony Marks, who set about building "new" Danelectros with Asian-built bodies and NOS Danelectro necks. While the Blue Book of Electric Guitars has heard of this project, there have been no guitars witnessed to date. It is unknown how extensive this undertaking was.
The rights to license the Danelectro name were purchased by the Evets company in late 1995, and at the NAMM show in January 1997, Danelectro debuted three new effects pedals. Shortly thereafter, Danelectro released the first reissue in a series of new guitars to debut in the late 1990s. Most new Danelectros were reissues of their popular vintage models, but they did release a few new designs as well. This venture lasted until 2003 when Evets discontinued the entire line of Danelectro. In 2005, Danelectro reappeared once again with a new way to market their guitars - limited editions. Their new plan involves releasing a guitar and only producing it for a short time (typically around a year). As of 2011, LPD Music International in Madison Heights, MI is distributing Danelectro in the U.S., and in 2012 they announced that production was moving back to Korea. For more information, visit Danelectro's website or contact them directly. Source: Paul Bechtoldt and Doug Tulloch, Guitars From Neptune, Mark Wollerman, Wollerman Guitars, and Doug Tulloch.
By 1953, the first guitar was designed, and it was introduced in 1954. It has been hypothesized/assumed that Daniels had consulted his long time friend John D'Angelico for assistance in the fret spacing and bridge placement. While most people believe the body frame under the masonite is pine, Paul Bechtoldt confirmed that the body is poplar (and his source was Vinnie Bell!). In 1959 or 1960 the company moved to 207 West Sylvania Avenue in Neptune City, NJ, where it remained until its demise in 1968.
All models were assembled in the Neptune City factory, and the majority were sold to Sears, Roebuck under their Silvertone trademark. Many of the popular designs should be considered semi-hollowbodies, for they have a masonite top and back mounted on a pine frame. The renowned Lipstick Tube pickups are exactly that: Danelectro bought the lipstick casings from a manufacturer who serviced the cosmetics industry, and then sent them to another contractor for plating before the pickup was installed inside.
The company grew during the 1960s guitar boom from under 100 employees to a peak of 503. George Wooster, Danelectro's production manager, estimated that the company produced 150 to 200 guitars a day during peak periods.
In late 1967, MCA (the entertainment conglomerate) bought Danelectro. In the same year, they introduced the Coral line. While 85% of Danelectro's output (guitars and amps) was for Sears, the Coral line was Danelectro´s catalog line. The bodies for the Coral series were built in Japan, but the parts and assembly were done in the New Jersey plant. After MCA purchased the company, they began to do business with individual music shops instead of the big distributors - which brought them into competition with Fender and Gibson. Rather than point out the problem with that corporate thinking, let history do the talking: MCA folded Danelectro in 1968.
William C. Herring bought Danelectro's factory from MCA for $20,000 in late 1968 or 1969. Herring met Dan Armstrong (ex-Ampeg) and the pair visited the empty facilities and found numerous partially completed guitars and machinery. Armstrong contracted to build Danelectros for Ampeg, but by then the amplifier company was in financial straits and couldn't pay for them. These models have the single cutaway bodies, and Dan Armstrong modified Danelectro on the pickguard.
In the late 1980s, the rights to the Danelectro name were acquired by Anthony Marks, who set about building "new" Danelectros with Asian-built bodies and NOS Danelectro necks. While the Blue Book of Electric Guitars has heard of this project, there have been no guitars witnessed to date. It is unknown how extensive this undertaking was.
The rights to license the Danelectro name were purchased by the Evets company in late 1995, and at the NAMM show in January 1997, Danelectro debuted three new effects pedals. Shortly thereafter, Danelectro released the first reissue in a series of new guitars to debut in the late 1990s. Most new Danelectros were reissues of their popular vintage models, but they did release a few new designs as well. This venture lasted until 2003 when Evets discontinued the entire line of Danelectro. In 2005, Danelectro reappeared once again with a new way to market their guitars - limited editions. Their new plan involves releasing a guitar and only producing it for a short time (typically around a year). As of 2011, LPD Music International in Madison Heights, MI is distributing Danelectro in the U.S., and in 2012 they announced that production was moving back to Korea. For more information, visit Danelectro's website or contact them directly. Source: Paul Bechtoldt and Doug Tulloch, Guitars From Neptune, Mark Wollerman, Wollerman Guitars, and Doug Tulloch.
Instruments currently produced in Korea since 2012. Distributed by LPD Music International in Madison Heights, MI. Guitars were previously produced in Red Bank, NJ from 1953 to mid-1958, in Neptune, NJ between mid-1958 and 1969, overseas between the late 1990s and 2003 and in China by the Evets Corporation between 2005 and 2011. Between roughly 1956 and 1967, distribution was handled by the Danelectro Corporation of Neptune, NJ. However, the majority of instruments were sold or distributed through the Sears & Roebuck chain. From 1967 to 1969, distribution was handled by the MCA Corporation after they purchased Danelectro.
DANELECTRO Electric Guitars Models
DANELECTRO HODAD BASS
- similar to Hodad in design, long scale, 3 single coil lipstick pickups, 7-tone Select-O-Matic switching, available in Black/Gold Pearl, Deep Blue Pearl, or White/Violet Pearl finish, mfg. 2000-03.
DANELECTRO CONVERTIBLE REISSUE
- acoustic/electric, double cutaway design with a single lipstick tube style single coil pickup and stacked volume/tone control, can be used as an acoustic or an electric guitar, available in Nifty Aqua, Limo Black, Beatnik Burgundy, Malt S...
DANELECTRO LONGHORN
- double cutaway hollow masonite and plywood body, bolt-on maple neck, 21-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlay, three-per-side tuners, adjustable bridge, three lipstick pickups, clear pickguard, two knobs, three-way switch, chrome hardw...
DANELECTRO LONGHORN BASS
- double cutaway hollow masonite and plywood body, bolt-on maple neck, 24-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlay, two-per-side tuners, standard bridge, two lipstick pickups, clear pickguard, two knobs, three-way switch, chrome hardware, a...
DANELECTRO Convertible Pro
- similar to Convertible Reissue, except has Gotoh tuners, available in Dark Blue Metalflake, Deep Purple Metalflake, Deep Blue Pearl, or White Pearl finish, mfg. 2000-03.
DANELECTRO Longhorn Baritone
- similar to the Longhorn, except in baritone configuration (tuned B-E-A-D-G-B), 24-fret fingerboard, and two lipstick single coil pickups, limited mfg. 2006 only.
DANELECTRO RUMOR BASS
- offset double cutaway solid body, hard maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, 34 in. scale, 20-frets, Dano-Tuned bass pickups, built-in chorus, adjustable bridge, 2-per-side tuners, available in Red Sparkle Burst, Blue Burst, or Black...
DANELECTRO DOUBLENECK REISSUE
- available as either a 6-string/12-string combo or a 6-string/baritone combo, two lipstick tube single coil pickups per neck with separate stacked volume/tone controls for each. Selector switch. Gotoh tuners, available in Light Blue Pearl,...
DANELECTRO WILD THING BASS (MID-60S BASS)
- sweeping double cutaway body based on a Danelectro prototype from the 1960s, ostrich side tape, 24-fret rosewood fingerboard, Coke bottle headstock with two-per-side tuners, rosewood saddle bridge, large white pickguard, two lipstick pick...
DANELECTRO WILD THING (MID-60S GUITAR)
- sweeping double cutaway body based on a Danelectro prototype from the 1960s, ostrich side tape, 21-fret rosewood fingerboard, coke bottle headstock with three-per-side tuners, rosewood saddle bridge, large white pickguard, two lipstick pi...
DANELECTRO GUITAR/MANDOLIN REISSUE
- longhorn double cutaway styling with 31-fret neck, lower frets used for normal guitar sounds, upper frets are used for mandolin-like effect, two lipstick tube single coil pickups and two stacked volume/tone controls, selector switch, avai...
DANELECTRO Wild Thing Baritone (Mid-60s Baritone)
- similar to the Wild Thing (Mid-60s Guitar), except in baritone configuration with a 24-fret fingerboard, available in Black or Candy Apple Red finish, limited mfg. 2011 only.
DANELECTRO HEARSAY
- offset double cutaway body, hard maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, dot position markers, 21 frets, three single coil Dano Tuned pickups with middle pickup reverse wound, volume, tone, built-in distortion, distortion sweep, stereo jack...
DANELECTRO HODAD
- double cutaway model with offset waist, has 4 lipstick tube single coil pickups wired like two humbuckers, pull-on tone knobs for out of phase and coil-tap on each pickup set, twelve tone variations, available with or without whammy bar,...
DANELECTRO Hodad Baritone
- similar to Hodad, except long scale, 3 lipstick pickups, 7-tone Select-O-Matic switching, available in Black Metal Flake, Black/Gold Pearl, or White/Violet Pearl finish, mfg. 2000-03.
DANELECTRO Hodad 12-String
- similar to Hodad, except in a 12-string configuration, 3 lipstick pickups, 7-tone Select-O-Matic switching, 6-per-side tuners, available in Black/Gold Pearl, Deep Blue Pearl, or White/Violet Pearl finish, mfg. 2000-03.
DANELECTRO INNUENDO
- offset double cutaway solid body, three single coil Dano-Tuned pickups with the middle pickup reverse wound, four built-in effects, push-button Distortion, Chorus, Tremolo and Echo, volume, tone, distortion control and tremolo speed, pear...
DANELECTRO Innuendo 12-String
- similar to Innuendo, except in a 12-string configuration, four built-in effects, available in Black Sunburst, Red Sunburst, or Blue Burst finish, mfg. 2001-03.
DANELECTRO Innuendo Baritone
- similar to Innuendo, exept has a long scale neck, 22 frets, four built-in effects, available in Red Sunburst, Black Sunburst, or Blue Burst finish, mfg. 2001-03.
DANELECTRO MOD 6 & 7
- single cutaway body style, two single coil Lipstick pickups and one humbucker pickup, Select-O-Matic switching, coil tap, 11 tone variations, pearloid pickguard, available in 6- and 7-string sub-models, available in Black/Gold P...